Paste-press.



PATENTBD MAR. 6, 1906 S. TOPANELLL' PASTE PRESS.

APPLICATION FILED APB..11,1905.

. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Witnessew- Inventor;

PATENTED MAR. 6, 1906. S. TOFANELLI.

PASTE PRESS.

APPLICATION FILED APE.11,1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET z.

UNITED 'sTATEs PATENT oEEIoE.

ONE-HALF TO LOYD C. DIBERT,

OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

PASTE-PRESS- Specification of Letters Patent.

;atented March 6. 1906.

Application filed April 11, 1905. Serial No. 255,047.

T all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, SEBASTIANO ToFAN- ELLI, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Paste- Presses, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in paste-presses such as are used in the manufacture of macaroni and like products.

Usually presses of this character are charged with material, the follower set in motion to discharge the material through suitable dies to form the tubes, which latter are then removed and subsequently cut into suitable lengths by hand. Also the reversing of the follower when it reaches the bottom of the cylinder is usually done by hand and requires the close attention of an attendant to see that it does not cause a smash-up or else leave a portion of the paste in the cylinder.

The principal objects of my invention are to provide a cutter in conjunction with the press which may be operated automatically and coordinately with the rate of discharge of the tubes to cut the tubes into any desired length, to drive a follower fast or slow in either direction, and to devise means for automatically reversing the movement of the follower when traveling in either direction.

The invention consists of the parts and the construction and combination of parts, as hereinafter more fully described and claimed, having reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of my press Irom the worm side. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the press directly opposite the side shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a front elevation taken from the left of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the press. Fig. 5 is a section on line a: a: of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a detail of the cutter, showing the cylinder and die in section.

A represents a cylinder open at top and bottom and supported in a suitable frame 2. The lower end of the cylinder has an inturned annular flange or ledge 3 for the perforated die-plate 4 to seat on. The nature of the dieplate 4 determines the character of the product discharged from the cylinder.

5 is a follower carried by a stem 6, which has a threaded portion 7, turning in a stationary nut 8 in the frame. The reciprocation of the follower is accomplished by means of a large or master gear 9, having a feather engaging a groove 10 in the threaded or screw part 7, and by means of one or the other 01 the small drive-gears 11 12, driven from any suitable source 01 power and meshing the master-gear 9. The gear 9 is mounted to let the stem move freely up and down through it; but by reason of the feather and groove the two are always rotated in unison.

The two gears 11 12 are for the purpose of driving the large gear at different rates of speed either fast or slow, according to the rate at which it is desired to move the follower or according to the pressure that the follower is working against. Gear 11, which may be termed the slow gear, is mounted on a shaft 13, suitably supported in the frame with its lower end stepped at 14, as shown in Fig. 1. This shaft carries a loose grooved pinion 15, constantly meshing a worm 16 on the shaft 17, which carries the loose pulleys 18 19 and the intermediate fixed pulley 20. Respective straight and crossed belts 21 22 run from these pulleys over a broad pulley 23 on drive-shaft 24. The belts are shifted simultaneously by an appropriate shifter 25 to turn the shaft 17 one way or the other or to stop the shaft. The particular mode of operation of this shifter and its importance in this invention will be explained later.

Gear 12, which may be termed the fast gear, is mounted on a shaft 26, having at its lower end a miter-gear 27, meshing a similar gear 28, loose on a shaft 29. Shaft 29 is arranged arallel with and as a counter-shaft to the pull dy or operating shaft 17. Shaft 29 is driven in unison with shaft 17 by means of the interengaging gears 29.

Both the grooved pinion 15 and gear 28 are loose on and free to turn about their respective shafts 13 29, and both are always turning whenever the pulley-shaft 17 is turning. Each is locked to its respective shaft by any appropriate clutch mechanism, and preferably these clutch mechanisms are connected so that whenever one is thrown in the other will be thrown out automatically, and vice versa. As here shown, the pinion is locked to the shaft 13 by a sliding clutch 30, operatable manually, if desired, by a lever 31, and gear 28 is locked to its shaft 29 by a clutch 32. Lever 31 is fulcrumed to a fixed part of the frame and is connected to clutch by a curved link 33, so that an oscillation of the there is less likelihood of binding than if the lever produces a reciprocating movement of the clutch to carry the latter into or out of operative engagement with the pinion. The

lever 31 has a projection 34, carrying a pin 35,

engaging a slot 36 in one arm of a bell-crank lever 37, which has its other arm connected to clutch 32. Thus a movement of one clutch into operative engagement with its corresponding member will cause an opposite movement or a movement out of operative engagement with its member. speed the lever 31 is thrown down to carry clutch 32 in against gear 28, as shown in Fig. 2, and simultaneously disengage clutch 30 from pinion 15, as shown in Fig. 1. This movement of the clutches and corresponding change of speed is effected independently of the direction of travel of the follower. The n or down movement of the follower is controlled by the beltshifter 25 and the two belts 21. 22.

Assuming that the straight belt is run to drive the follower down, then to reverse the follower the belts are so shifted as to carry the straight belt onto its loose pulley 18 and the crossed belt onto the fixed pulley. In the position shown the belts are each out of operative engagement with the fixed pulley and the follower is at rest. It is highly desirable that means be provided to automatically reverse the follower when it reaches or nears the bottom of the cylinder or, conversely, when it is nearly to the top of its stroke. Accordingly I have shown the following simple but effective contrivance for working the shifter back and forth, so that the reversal takes place at just the right moment whichever Way the follower is moving:

One end of the shifter is attached to an arm of a bell-crank lever 38, fulcrumed to the frame at 39. The other arm of the lever is slotted and connected to a vertically-slidable rod 40, guided, as at 41, and carrying a nut or projection 42 at its upper end, located correspondingly with the limit of upward movement of the screw 7. The rod also carries a nut or projection 43, located correspondingly with the limit of downward movement of the end of the screw, the space between these projections 42 43 on rod 40 determining the length of the reciprocation in either direction of the follower.

A radial arm 44 is carried by the screw and so supported thereon as to leave the latter free to turn in a collar on the arm. This arm is also slidable on the rod 40 between the projections 42 43. Preferably the arm is guided and slidable on a vertical support, as a prolongation of shaft 13. The shaft is used as a support because it turns whenever the screw moves and whether the screw moves fast or slow by reason of the interengagement of the three gears 9 11 12, and by having a turnable support for the arm intermediate of its ends For fast arm were unsupported or was supported on a stationary vertical rod.

In the operation of this press where the consistenc y of the paste and the character of the die are such as to allow a more rapid move ment of the follower downward the clutch 32 may be thrown in to drive through the mitershaft 26; but where the load that the follower has to work against is considerable the wormshaft and shaft 13 will be used. Usually the pressure to form the paste-tubes is applied at slow speed and with proportionally greater power by the worm, while the retraction of the follower is done at fast speed. If the press should be left running, the arm 44 will act automatically to reverse the follower at the end of the downstroke or to stopthe follower at the end of the upstroke, as in Figs. 1., 2, so that no damage may come to the apparatus. As the paste-tubesissue from the die 4 they are usually gathered in trays and afterward cut into desired lengths by hand. I purpose placing a knife in such position and so operating it as to cut all the tubes into-sections of exactly tne same length and yet be able so to vary the operation of the knife that I can vary the length of the sections at any time. Suitably disposed beneath the cylinder is a stationary cross bar or support 45, having a socket coaxial with the cylinder, in which socket a short shaft 46, having a bevelgear 47, is removably seated. The upper end of the shaft 46 carries a pintle projection to fit a central recess in the under side of the die-plate. A knife 48, projecting radially from shaft 46, moves in close proximity to the under side of the die when the shaft is revolved to shear off the tubes.

When the knife is to be used, it is put in place before the press is filled with paste by lifting up the die-plate to let the two ends of the shaft be suitably seated and then dropping the die plate into place, Motion is transmitted to the shaft and knife through the gear 49 on shalt 50 meshing gear 47, a pinion 51 on shaft 50, an idler 52, a pinion 53 on sprocket-shaft 54, and a chain 55 passing over sprockets on shafts 54 and the pulleyshaft 17. The idle pinion 52 is carried on an adjustable bracket 56, so that the pinion 53, which is removably locked on the end of shaft 54, may be taken off at any time and a different-sized pinion used where the speed of the knife is to be changed to cut longer or shorter tubes. By changing pinion 53 I can cut a shorter or longer tube irrespective of the speed of the follower. The knife and follower always have a coordinate movement.

It is possible that various modifications in I my invention may be made without departing from the principle thereof, and I do not Wish to be understood as limiting myself to the specific construction as herein shown and described.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A paste-press having in combination a cylinder, a follower operable therein, and provided with a stem, means for operating the follower said means including a master-gear on the follower-stem and a plurality of drivegears adapted to engage the master-gear and means for operating said drive-gears at different rates of speed.

2. A paste-press having in combination a cylinder, a follower operable therein, means including a master wheel and two drivegears engaging the same and operable at different rates of speed, and means actuated by the follower to automatically reverse the same at either end of its stroke.

3. A paste-press having in combination a cylinder, a follower operable therein, means for operating the follower said means including a master-wheel and two drive-gears engaging the same and operable at different rates of speed, and fast and loose pulleys and connections between the same and said drivegears, and follower reversing means and means carried by the follower for actuating said reversing means.

4. A paste-press having in combination, a cylinder, a follower provided with a stem, means for operating the follower, said means including a master-wheel on the followerstem and two drive-gears engaging said wheel, and automatic reversing mechanism for the follower, a cutting mechanism, and means connected with the power devices which actuate the follower for operating the cutting mechanism automatically and coordinately with the rate of discharge of the pressed material.

5. A paste-press consisting of a cylinder, a follower operatable therein, a threaded stem for said follower, a stationary nut in which said threaded portion turns, a master-gear through which the stem is slidable and with which the stem is turnable, two drive-gears engaging said master-gear, a common source of power for said drive-gears and means for driving either of said gears without driving the other.

6. A paste-press consisting of a cylinder, a follower operatable therein, a threaded stem for said follower, and means for operating said follower, said means including a mastergear with which said stem is turnable and in which it is slidable, a plurality of drive-gears engaging the master-gear, a common source of power connected with the said drive-gears, and means whereby power is applied to only one of said drive-gears at a time.

7. A paste-press consisting of a cylinder, a follower operatable therein, a threaded stem for said follower, and means for operating said follower, said means including a mastergear with which said stem is turnable and in which it is slidable, a plurality of drive-gears engaging the master-gear, a common source of power connected with the said drive-gears, and means whereby power is applied to only one of said drive-gears at a time, said drivegears each operatable at different rates of speed.

8. A paste-press consisting of a cylinder, a follower operatable therein, a threaded stem for the follower, a master-gear engaging the stem two drive-gears meshing with said mastergear, shafts for said drive-gears and means for driving said shafts at different rates of speed.

9. A paste-press consisting of a cylinder, a follower operatable therein, a threaded stem for the follower, a master-gear engaging the stem, two drive-gears meshing with said master-gear, shafts for said drive-gears, an operating-shaft-for said drive-gear shafts and connections between said operating-shaft and the drive-gear shafts whereby one of the latter may be operated without operating the other.

10. A paste-press consisting of a cylinder, a follower operatable therein, a threaded stem for the follower, a master-gear engaging the stem, two drive-gears meshing with said master-gear, shafts for said drive-gears, an operating-shaft for said drive-gear shafts and connections between said operating-shafts and the drive-gear shafts whereby one of the latter may be operated without operating the other, the connections between the operating shaft and the drive-gear shafts permitting of the operation of one of said drive-gear shafts at a different rate of speedfrom the other.

11. A paste-press comprising a cylinder, a follower operatable therein, a screw for operating the follower, a master-gear engaging the screw, two drive-gears meshing the master-gear, shafts for said drive-gears, an operating-shaft connected with each of said drivegear shafts, and means by which only one of said drive-gear shafts may be operated at one time.

12. A paste-press comprising a cylinder, a follower operatable therein, a screw for operating the follower, a master-gear engaging the screw, two drive-gears meshing the master gear, shafts for said drive-gears, an operating-shaft connected with each of said drivegear shafts, means by which only one of said drive-gear shafts may be operated at one time, fast and loose pulleys on the operatingshaft, drive-belts for said pulleys and means operatable by the follower to shift said belts automatically to reverse the follower at the end of its stroke. I

13. A paste-press comprising a cylinder, a follower operatable therein, a screw for operating the follower, a master-gear engaging the screw two drive-gears meshing the master-gear, shafts for said drive-gears, an operating-shaft connected with each of said drivegear shafts, means by which only one of said drive-gear shafts may be operated at one time, fast and loose pulleys on the operatingshaft, drive-belts for said pulleys and means operatable by the follower to shift said belts automatically to reverse the follower, at the end of its stroke, said last-named means including a radial arm on the follower-stem, a vertical slide-rod with which said arm engages and by which it is reciprocated, a shifting member and a bell-crank connected with said member and said rod.

14. A paste-press consisting of a cylinder, a follower operatable therein, a followerstem, means for reciprocating the stem and follower, said last-named means including a pulley-shaft with fast and loose pulleys, and connections between the pulley-shaft and stem, pulleys on the pulley-shaft, a belt for said pulleys and means for automatically shifting the belt to reverse the follower, said means including a radial arm carried by and turnable independently of the stem, a turnable guide for said arm, a slide-rod engageable by and having a limited movement with the arm, a shifter member and connections between said member and said rod whereby the belt is shifted on the movement of the rod by the arm.

15. A paste-press consisting of-a cylinder, a die therein, a follower operatable in the cylinder, a rotary cutter below the die, means for operating the cutter coordinately with the movement of the follower and means by which the rate of movement of the cutter may be varied without changing the speed of the follower to permit of tubes of different length being cut, said cutter-operating means including intermeshing gears one of which is interchangeably mounted to permit gears of different sizes being used.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

SEBASTIANO TOFANELLI. Witnesses:

S. H. NoURsE, OHAs. E. OHAPIN. 

